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Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (Sasha Jeffries) 

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Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (Sasha Jeffries) 

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Duke Ellington, born in 1899 from Washington DC was a well known jazz pianist and composer in the 1920s - 1930s. He was a major figure in the history of jazz. He composed thousands of songs, led his band for more than half a century, and created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds in Western music. He performed in Broadway nightclubs, made hundreds of recordings and appeared in films and on the radio. His most popular works included “It Don’t Mean A Thing,” ‘Mood Indigo” and “Sophisticated Lady.” He earned 12 Grammy awards for his music. Duke Ellington impacted American lives because he showed that African Americans too can be successful and make a living in the world. He showed that not all people of color can become the stereotype were expected to be. Ellington also played a huge role in the evolution of jazz and spread the love of jazz music throughout the world. Duke Ellington has inspired our future African American artists today to stand against the racism and do what it possible.

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Alain LeRoy Locke is known as the “Father of the Harlem Renaissance.”  He did a lot. He was the first black Rhodes Scholar. He was a philosopher that promoted pluralism (sharing power), cultural relativism (understanding of one’s background) and self-expression. He created a philosophy called cultural pluralism (sharing cultural values). He supported many African American artists, such as Aaron Douglas. He supported African American authors too, such as Zora Neale Hurston. He inspired them to use their roots in their work. He helped the Harlem Renaissance be more public. He was friends with W.E.B. Du Bois even though they had different beliefs on what African American art should be about. Du Bois believed that African American art should promote blacks while Locke believed that it should just express themselves.

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Langston Hughes was a poet that connected to the lives of working class blacks.  He is one of the best known poets in history. One of his influences was Walt Whitman. His writings were insightful. They were colorful portrayals of black life from the 20's through 30's. Langston Hughes did not only write poems, he also wrote novels and plays. His first book of poetry was "The Weary Blues". His first novel was called "Not Without Laughter". He wrote 11 plays and countless other writings. He refused to differentiate from his personal experiences and the common experience of black America like other writers.

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Bessie Smith was a very famous blues singer in the 1920s.She was also known as the empress’s of the blues.She was one of the first jazz singers to appear on records.She was the most outstanding vocalist of 1920.She recorded on black oriented labels.She had enormous popularity. She sold 800,000  recordsof her music.she toured for extensive periods of time.She was the highest black paid artist in the 1927.She starred in a film based on a popular song “ St.Louis Blues”.Her songs include “Cold in Hand Blues” a collaboration  with Louis Armstrong, “I ain’t gonna play no secco here fiddle”,and “St.Louis Blues.Bessie Smith is a very inspirational  singer.She impacted the lives of many who listen to her music.The song she sang were lyrics that people could connect to.Knowing what I now know about Bessie Smith I know how she impacted the music I listen to today.

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Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (Karimatu Kargbo)

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Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (Karimatu Kargbo)

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Duke Ellington was  Harlem Renaissance pioneer originally from D.C. He was a major figure in jazz music. In his career he was able to compose thousands of songs for stage, screen, and contemporary songbook. He created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds in western music. He even led a 10 piece orchestra at the Cotton Club. He is known as one of America's greatest composers in the 20s and 30s. In his lifetime he won 12 grammys awards from 1959-2000. He even toured Europe on two occasions with popular songs like "mood indigo" "sophisticated lady". Ellington impacted the American lives because he showed how even though was African American his talent would define him. He led to great achievements in his life no matter his race. This applies to me today because it shows me what people that look like me can accomplish and I can do whatever I want to be successful in life by overcoming barriers.

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Louis Armstrong was important to the Harlem Rennaisance because he became one of the most influential Jazz musicians in history. Born in New Orleans he played the trumpet and slowly became famous in the Jazz scene. He played in the Cotton Club in Harlem and drawer in crowds of people to hear him play. He also created his own style by developing a way to play jazz as both an instrumentalist and a vocalist. Armstrong recorded hits for over five decades and appeared in 30 films. He performed over 300 concerts a year and composed many if his own songs. Louis Armstrong is an important figure in Harlem Rennaisance history because he set the standard more many Jazz musicians to follow in his footsteps after him.

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James Weldon Johnson was born, June 17, 1871, in Jacksonville, Florida. He is an important figure of the 1920s for many reasons. He was a poet/musician, lawyer and a member of the NAACP. He published a book tiltled The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, which was about of a musician who rejects his black roots and attempts at living a life in a white mans world. This book, like many others written during the 1920 by other important figures like louis armstrong, follows a theme of racial identity. Some of his other work includes God’s Trombones. Johnson was also know for his great ways of persuasion. He could completely turn someone with a stubborn mindset to find common grounds on a different ideology. This talent of persuasion helped whites get a glimpse of what it may be like to be African American at that time. His work in the NAACP helped develop the African American artistic community, which all in all is what the Harlem Renaissance is all about.

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Marcus Garvey was an immigrant from Jamaica. He was a very proud black man and believed that blacks should build a separate society. He founded he UNIA in 1914 which greatly helped African Americans. He was very popular as he had 1 million followers. He also promoted for black businesses. He started a "Back to Africa Movement" in which he encouraged blacks to move to Africa. He opened offices in NYC an in the ghettos so that people had jobs and could make some money. He also believed that all blacks are one and should put aside all differences and unite. Garvey impacted Black American Lives because he helped them get jobs and encouraged blacks to be proud that they were black. It applies to me today, because I am proud to be black and Garvey gives me confidence that I can be successful as a black man in America.

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Louis Armstrong was a jazz artist.  He played trumpet in his jazz band.  Armstrong went by also several nicknames, including Pops, Ambassador, and Scatchmo. He is one of the most recognizable musicians in history. He recorded hits for several decades and appeared in more than 30 films, and performed in hundreds of concerts. In his career, he composed dozens of pieces that have become jazz standards. Armstrong was highly influential. His work popularized and defined jazz as a genre. Some of his impact can still be seen today. Many jazz bands have formed due to its popularity, and people still listen to jazz music, including many of his songs. Louis Armstrong was an important jazz artist who has left a lasting impact on the world.

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Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans. His jazz music made him one of the most recognizable musicians in history. He was known for playing the trumpet. His music was popular for dancing during the Jazz Age. Armstrong was known for using personal expression in jazz music. His music lured whites into Harlem, into the Cotton Club where he played. His nicknames include "Satchmo," "Pops," and "Ambassador." Armstrong recorded for 5 decades. He also appeared in thirty films. Louis Armstrong composed dozens of songs that have become jazz standards. Armstrong's music is still aorund and popular today in the Jazz community. He created the jazz that most musicians play today.

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Bessie Smith was a blues singer during the 1920's. She was known as the "Empress of the Blues". In her career Bessie Smith sold over 80,000 records. She was one of the first Jazz singers to appear on record. Bessie Smith was an influential person and gained enormous popularity. She recorded on black oriented labels and toured extensively. In the 1920's she was the most outstanding vocalist. In 1927, Bessie Smith was the highest paid African American artist. Her songs include "I Ain't Gonna Play No Fiddle", "St. Louis Blues" and more. She starred in a film based on a popular song called "Saint Louis Blues". Bessie Smith has influenced jazz to what it is today, and many artists with how their music is today.

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The world's most famous female blues singer of that decade Bessie Smith brought the world her amazing vocal talents. Through her 800,000 records she made the world fall in love with her voice and be named the "Most outstanding voice of the decade". Each produced through black oriented labels putting her name and theirs on the map. While she was not as big in the United States, her international impact brought the world to hear her talent showing the blues of the average black woman at the time. Selling records based on real life events, to being the highest paid black artist in 1927. Said to be the "Beyoncé" of her era, known for her amazing vocals in classics like "Cold Hand Blues", "I ain't gonna play no second fiddle", and "st. louis blues". Her fame has made a legacy for many black female artists to come and her collaborations with other black artists of the day. Like Louis Armstrong a famous black jazz musician and composer, known throughout the United States brought more fame to her name. Her impact will be remembered through her legendary career as both a singer and actress. Dubbed the "Empress of Blues". A name made for the ages as she trudged on to fight not only racism but also sexism throughout the United states.

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Marcus Garvey was one of many pioneers during the Harlem Renaissance. He was an immigrant from Jamaica. He believed blacks should build a separate society. He spread a radical message for black pride. He founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association in 1914 and opened offices in NYC ghettos in 1918. He had 1 million followers. He held mass meetings, parades, and messages of pride. Garvey encouraged blacks to move back to Africa. That was the start of the "Back to Africa" movement. He believed in black nationalism, which is the idea that all Blacks are one and put aside differences to unite. Garvey was later convicted of mail fraud and was put to jail. Garvey impacted American lives with his determination to fight for the unity of blacks.What I discovered about him applies to me today because it teaches me black pride.

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Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (Ndella)

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Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (Ndella)

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Originally from Washington D.C, Duke Ellington was a major figure in the history of jazz. His career spanned more than half a century and he composed thousands of song for the stage, screen, and contemporary songbook. Ellington also created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds in Western music. He appeared in hundreds of recordings, performed in Broadway Nightclub, and appeared in films and on the radio. He led his ten piece orchestra at the Cotton Club , and was one of America's greatest composer of the 1920's and 1930's. His most popular works included "Mood Indigo" and "Sophisticated Lady".  Duke Ellington had a great impact on American lives, especially African Americans. He showed the world that Blacks too could be succesful and paved the way for musical talent throughout the African American community. This helps me because I know that if I ever wanted to become a musician, I could without getting judged. Duke Ellington was a part of breaking the stereotype that Blacks couldnt be succesful or famous.

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Arna Bontemps
Arna Wendell Bontemps was an American writer, considered one of the leading figures in the literary and cultural movement of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s and 1930s. After school he studied at Pacific Union College, graduated 1923, and this was then working as a teacher at several schools. In November 1926 he was one of the authors of only one published journal Fire!, which was intended as a quarterly literary magazine of the Harlem Renaissance. In 1931 he gave his real literary debut with the novel God Sends Sunday, the novels You Can not Get a Possum (1934), Black Thunder (1936) and Drums at Dusk (1939) followed. He took the issue of insurgency-colored, so that he was accused of asking African Americans to violence. In 1943 he began working as a librarian of Fisk University, which he held until his death. His non-fiction story of the Negro (1948) recounted the history of African Americans from the time of the African kingdoms to the American presence, and belonged to one of the first children's books, which dealt with the issues of racial segregation and discrimination in American society. Bontemp created a huge contribution during the Harlem Renaissance. He enriched and preserved black cultural heritage to keep alive for many years. Bontemp and many other black historians kept black history alive so that my generation and many more generations will be able to speak on for decades of our black pride.

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Marcus Garvey
(Cameron Craddock)

There were alot of prominent African American figures during the Harlem Renaissance. One of these prominent figures included Marcus Garvey. Garvey was an immigrant from Jamaica. Garvey had many ideals for African Americans. He believed African Americans should build a separate society. He spreaded a radical message of radical pride. Garvey also founded the Universal Negro improvement Association in 1914. Marcus opened offices in NYC ghettos in 1918. He had many African American followers. Garvey has approximately 1,000,000 followers give or take a few.
Garvey was known for promoting African Americans.Garvey promoted black businesses. He encouraged the back to Africa movement. He believed in Black Nationalism which was the idea that all Blacks are one and should put aside differences to unite with one another. Marcus Garvey also committed fraud and went to jail because of it. Garvey was born August 17, 1887. Garvey died June 10, 1947. Garvey impacts me and many humans today because he taught us to promote what we believe in. Garvey taught us to think about the people first.

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Louis Armstrong was a popular and most successful jazz artist in the Harlem Renaissance. With his talent he became one of the most recognizable musician in history. He was born in New Orleans where jazz originated and spread to Kansas City, Memphis, and New York City. He played the trumpet and used personal expression in jazz. He was able to develop a way of playing jazz as an instrumentalist and vocalist. He recorded hits in five decades and gained a large amount of fans along the way. He also appeared in more than thirty films and over twenty of them were full length features. He also composed dozens of songs that have become jazz standards and performed an average of 300 concerts each year. He was also given nicknames such as "pops", "satchmo" and "ambassador", and "ambassador satch." Louis Armstrong was able to create an impact on American lives because he played a big part in jazz. Many still enjoy his music and the genre overall.

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Bessie Smith was a well known Blues Singer. She was also known as "Empress of the blues". Bessie Smith was also one the first jazz singers to appear in rewords. She became the most outstanding vocalist during the 1920s. Due to her amazing voice she became enormously famous. She recorded on black oriented labels. From her popularity she became the highest paid black artist in the world during 1927. Bessie Smith also starred in a film based on popular song. This song was “Saint Louis Blues.” She also collaborated with Louis Armstrong in "Cold in Hand Blues." Another one of her songs were "I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle." Bessie Smith singing had influenced many other American singers. She also had a big impact on jazz. Many people aspired her. Many people loved her voice. She had an impact on the way  jazz is today.

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Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (Ashley)

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Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (Ashley)

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Originally from D.C., Duke Ellington was a major figure in the history of jazz music. He was known as one of America's greatest composers of the 1920s and 30s. He composed thousands of songs for the stage, screen and contemporary songbook. He won 12 Grammys total and even got to tour Europe several times. Some on his popular songs included "Mood Indigo" and "Sophisticated Lady." He created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds in western music. Duke Ellington was and will remain an imporant figure from the 1920s. He spread jazz music throughout the globe and brought many people together that enjoyed his work. Ellington also helped to portray a better image of African Americans and showed them that they too can become successful.

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Zora Neale Hurston is an African American literature writer and anthropologist. That was a famous during the 1920’s and for amazing work for the Harlem Renaissance.  Her goal was to portray her writing by about racial struggles. One of her most famous works was the “Eyes Were Watching God”. In Zora’s works she discusses about a women’s life of multiple marriages and tragedy.  She actually written the  “Eyes Were Watching God” in Haiti. Where she discovered her interest in Haitian Voodoo. Even as a little girl Zora had a passion for folklore and writing short stories. In the Harlem Renaissance she achieved a lot. Her boisterous attitude and  confident presence helped her know people like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Dorothy West. Unfortunately Zora died of poverty before she could gain a lot of recognition. Her legacy would forever live on and her activism for African Americans. She also forever changed how literature is seen today. Her amazing writing empowered African Americans during the Harlem Renaissance.

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Langston Hughes is the best-known poet. He was influenced by Walt Whitman. His poems described the difficult lives of working-class blacks. His writings were insightful, colorful portrayals of black life in America from the twenties through the sixties. He wrote novels, shorts stories, and plays, as well as poetry. He wrote with language and themes that dealt with the attitudes and ideas that was familiar to anyone who could read. His first book of poetry was “The Weary Blues.” Also,  His first novel was "Not Without Laughter." He won a gold medal for literature for Not Without
Laughter. Some of his popular poems included, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “Native Son.”

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Louis Armstrong was a well known musician during the Harlem Renaissance. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, where jazz had originated from. Jazz from New Orleans was able to successfully spread to places such as Kansas City, Memphis, and NYC. Especially by the help of Louis Armstrong. Louis Armstrong was able to gain his stardom in jazz. He played the trumpet, and became one of the most recognizable musicians in history. He successfully recorded hits for five decades, as he composed many songs that became one of jazz's standards. During his career, he appeared in more than 30 films, and over 20 were full-length features. Each year, he would perform an average of 300 concerts each year. Due to him becoming one of the most recognizable musicians in history, he has earned countless of names. These names include "Pops," "Satchmo," "Ambassador," and "Ambassador Satch." His influences of music affected people back in the Roaring 20's due to his natural influence in music. He was known to use personal expressions in jazz, and he also developed the way of playing jazz as an instrumentalist and vocalist. Many whites were lured into the Cotton Club in Harlem just to hear him play. Today, I would imagine that many people still listen to his songs, or watch his movies. As said, he developed the way of playing jazz, which probably influenced many aspiring or current jazz musicians and/or composers. Many people would enjoy listening to jazz, and Louis Armstrong was probably a big factor in making what jazz music is today.

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Claude McKay was a poet, novelist, and Jamaican immigrant. In his writings, he urged blacks to resist prejudice and discrimination. He didn't hide his hate for racism in his writings. He spoke of racism and bigotry as well. He described the blatent stupidity of racism and bigotry. Bigotry basially  means  that you believe that if someone disagrees with you, they're wrong. His words likely opened many people's eyes. His works likely pushed many blacks to stand up to the discrimination and racism they faced every day. He was constantly supporting African Americans. He was a role model to display that it was possible. He made it apparent that none of them were alone. If they managed to stand up, they would have support in the Black community. Without Claude McKay urging Americans to stand up for equality, America might be very different today. Racism could still be displayed in laws. African Americans would still be denied their rights legally. Equality would be non-existent. Without Claude McKay displaying that you're not alone, many African Americans might not have had the courage to stand up for themselves. Claude McKay inspired everyone who read his words to stand against racism. He showed every person was created equally.